It is known to provide a latching device on a matable pair of electrical connectors which maintains the connectors in a completely-mated position to complete electrical circuits of electrical equipment. Even if the connectors are in a partly-mated and not a completely-mated position, the latching device can leave the connectors in the partly-mated position so that the electrical circuits are still completed; however, the partly-mated connectors can become disconnected as a result of external forces thereby disconnecting the electrical circuits which will discontinue or prevent the operation of the electrical equipment. Connectors are also known with a latching device which also detects the partly-mated position.
Nevertheless, use of the known connectors will not prevent them from being partly-mated so that disconnection of the connectors is always possible thereby stopping or preventing operation of the electrical equipment. Such known connectors have low reliability thereby creating a strong demand for connectors with a checking means to assure that the connectors are completely mated especially for use in the control and sensing circuits of an automobile airbag system.